The NHL’s Minnesota Wild announced Monday that they are cleaning house by firing head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Bob Woods, according to the team’s president.
Dean Evason and Bob Woods have been relieved of their coaching duties.
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— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 27, 2023
The Wild‘s President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin thanked the pair in a statement, saying, “Dean did an excellent job during his tenure with the Minnesota Wild, especially as Head Coach of our team. I am very thankful for his hard work and dedication to our organization.”
“I would also like to thank Bob for his hard work during his time as an Assistant Coach with the Wild,” Guerin added. “I wish Dean, Bob and their families all the best in the future.”
Evason was in the hot seat after his team went three weeks without a win, last beating an opponent on Nov. 4 when they defeated the New York Rangers in a shootout. (RELATED: The Gloves Are Off And We Have Our First Fight Of The NHL Season)
Evason coached Minnesota since 2020, leading the team to the NHL’s playoffs in each of the last four seasons. Previously, Evason had been a well-traveled NHL player, amassing over 800 games and playing for five different teams over the course of a 13-year career.
He then worked his way up the coaching ranks, helming teams in Canada’s Western Hockey League and the American Hockey League before landing the Wild job, according to the team’s website.
Former Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils head coach John Hynes will reportedly take over as skipper, according to The Athletic.